The Bastard of Lannister
by Immortalgothgirl
Summary: Cersei had a bastard girl in the Westerlands many years ago.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

As Cersei stalked up the steps of the tower of the hand, she sighed, it was a sigh filled with anguish, Cersei had ill need of her father's criticism, least of all today.

She entered to the sight of Lord Tywin at his desk scribbling fiercely on a roll of parchment, "Sit down." He said coldly.

She sat, with an underlying feeling of unease in her stomach. Lord Tywin Lannister looked up at his daughter, calculating as ever, "It's come to my attention, that, in the past few weeks, you have not been present at any of King Joffrey's small council meetings." Cersei had far more pressing matters on her mind, "For someone who claims to be more devoted to politics than either of her brothers, you've hardly been very attentive, I'd expect laziness and impudence from Tyrion, but not you."

"I've been preoccupied with several other matters." Cersei cringed at how meek her voice sounded in that moment, she was Cersei, of House Lannister, the Queen Regent, she was proud lioness, but in the presence of her father, Cersei felt little more than a cub. She looked up at her father,

"You might tell me what haunts you so much that you are unable to attend the king's council." He didn't pose it as a question, but Cersei didn't know what to say, Lord Tywin forbade her to speak of it…..to speak of _her_.

"Today…is her name-day…" Cersei at least had the grace to look away, as though she was ashamed, she did not want to see the anger bubbling in her father's cold, cruel eyes.

"You're not to speak of that bastard girl." His voice was cold and stern not an inch of empathy in his voice, Cersei did not deign to defy him, she Knew her Lord father had the truth of it, she was a bastard, she hadn't seen the girl since she was a babe in arms, the girl should mean nothing to her, it was better for everyone when she was left at a tavern doorstep, and Robert thought he was the one to take her maidenhead…Cersei laughed about that at first. "You will fulfil your duty as Regent and sit in on all small council meetings, and I will hear no more about that bastard." Lord Tywin poured some wine into his goblet, "You may go." And so she did, she decended the tower of the hand, and when she got to her chambers, she slammed the doors with a thunderous bang, thinking more about her bastard daughter than she did before.

**AN: ****So, what do you think? Is it good, shall I continue? Please review, reviews are love 3**

**Immortalgothgirl**

**xx**


	2. Chapter 2

Tywin Lannister had summoned the majority of his household guard to his chambers, "You will stop at nothing to locate the bastard girl, you will scour every acre of the Westerlands if you have to, start by searching the outlying villages of Lannisport."

"As My Lord commands." The captain of his guard said, all of them marched out of the room. _She maybe a bastard, but she's a Lannister bastard, _Tywin thought.

* * *

><p>On the other side of the Red Keep, Cersei was drowning her sorrows with her finest Dornish Red, "Happy Name-day, Oriane." She drunkenly declared, sharing a toast with thin air.<p>

At that moment Tyrion Lannister walked in unannounced, another thing about him that irritated Cersei immensely, "Ah, Sweet sister, I see I haven't come to you in one of your more sober moments." Tyrion smirked, Cersei hated his crooked smirk too, however Tyrion's smirk soon faded, he saw that something was troubling Cersei,

He spoke out about his suspicions, "Something's troubling you, Cersei." But he didn't need to be a Maester of the Citadel to work it out, "Care to share your burden, a problem shared and all of that."

Cersei lifted her head up and laughed, "I don't know what's more amusing, you trying to counsel me or me getting myself in this state over a bastard."

Tyrion cocked his eyebrow, "Why should you concern yourself with Robert's bastards, they pose no threat to you?"

Cersei laughed again, for someone of such intelligence he can be so stupid, "Not one of Robert's bastards, I'm talking about _my_ bastard daughter."

"From what I can tell, nothing seems to be wrong with Myrcella." Tyrion half meant that as a jest, knowing all about Cersei and Jaime,

"I'm not talking about Myrcella." Tyrion could not hide his shock.

Tyrion knew all about Cersei and Jaime, and the tainted offspring they had produced, but never had he had _any _inclination of a fourth bastard,

"Don't look so shocked little brother, you were but a boy when my Oriane was born."

"Oriane." Tyrion said, genuinely taking an interest in his newly discovered bastard niece,

"She was my first born, before Joffrey, before my betrothal to Robert, I was little more than a girl myself."

"Is she Jaime's?" It was the first question that entered his thoughts,

"No." Cersei said, almost with a hint of regret, "Her father…the son of some minor Lord from Ashemark." Cersei remembered him, a handsome boy the same age as her, a shaggy mop of brown hair that she'd always used to mess up even more, he was her father's ward, and that was how their romance blossomed, With Jaime away at Crakehall, it started out as a mere act of sex, he was someone to warm her bed and that was all, but then, it grew into something more, Gwaine Blaike made her laugh, made her smile, and eventually won her heart, however, when her Lord father had heard she was with child, he sent him back to Ashemark, Cersei had not seen him since.

"Father fobade to speak of her, I wasn't even to say her name in his presence, she was left on a tavern doorstep." Cersei said, the wine was wearing off, her wits slowly returning to her, she was becoming sober,

"And you miss her." Tyrion gave her a look, as if he was daring her to deny it,

"She may be a bastard, but she's _my _bastard, the girl is my child." Cersei answered, Tyrion nodded his head slowly, and, without another word, slipped out of his sister's chambers, leaving Cersei to reminisce about Gwaine and her bastard, however, little did Cersei know, that her Lord father had a mass of Lannister men out searching for her.

**AN: ****Please review! I'd love to hear feedback, so please review!**

**Immortalgothgirl**

**xx**


	3. Chapter 3

The landlady of the Ashemark Tavern scrubbed vigorously at the wooden tables, wiping away the ale and vomit and was gagging at the tainted scent, her unwashed hair and her unkempt appearance overshadowed her natural beauty and made her look far beyond her twenty-five years. Celia the landlady had served up a tankard of mead to a drunken sellsword when six crimson cloaked soldiers marched into the tavern, "We're lookin' for a bastard girl by the name of Oriane."

Celia's breath hitched, _Oriane, Queen Cersei's bastard daughter. _She thought, she was a child when Oriane had turned up on their doorstep, her mother held the babe for her to see, ever since that night Oriane had been the sister she never had, but neither her nor her mother could bring it upon themselves to tell the girl about her real parentage, for those who did not know the true nature of Oriane's birth, would not notice her classic Lannister traits and put her breathtaking beauty down to coincidence, but for those with more wits about them, it was undeniable, her flowing golden hair, her emerald green eyes, her elegant complexion, Oriane was every inch a Lannister.

The soldier pulled out a letter, on it the seal of the hand of the king, Lord Tywin.

As she read the contents of the letter, (For a common folk, Celia was well read, her father had taught her how to read and write before he died, as he had also done with Oriane.) she nodded her head in understanding, "As his Lord Hand commands." As she rushed up the stairs, one of the soldiers called her back,

"Don't be gettin' us some imposter, 'ow're we s'pposed to know it's really 'er?"

Celia threw a smile at him, "Take my word for it, Ser, you'll recognise the girl as soon as you lay eyes on her."

"One more thing! Six tankards of mead, love." She poured the grotesque men their mead and went upstairs.

"Oriane!" She said, hasty, "Pack everything you can carry."

The bastard girl turned to face her, "Why?"

A grim look had cast itself over Celia's face, "You're going to King's Landing."

* * *

><p><em>*A month later* <em>

The sun glared over King's Landing, as if the sun itself was conjured by Balerion the Black Dread, it was hot, Cersei Lannister felt as if she had somehow been carried off to the free cities, it was the only logical explanation for the scorching climate.

The doors to her bedchamber swung open, "Father." Cersei stood up immediately, "What brings you to my chambers?"

Lord Tywin stood firm in his stance, his hard, cold green eyes never leaving his daughter's, "King Joffrey has notified me of your absence at his small council meetings, yet again." Tywin added the last part on with a sternness to match his gaze, "Is it the girl, does she still occupy your thoughts?"

Cersei felt no need to deny it, what use would her lies be, she gave up whatever façade she thought she was upholding and filled her goblet. "Is it a crime for a mother to show concern over her child?"

"Advising the reigning monarch is more important than some bastard at the edge of the Westerlands!" Tywin snapped, "You will do your duty, as Queen Regent, you will do your duty to your king, and to your house."

The Queen could not argue, her duty was to Joffrey and House Lannister, she knew, would that she could see her child one more time, to see the woman she had become, but all thoughts of such a thing had perished at her father's hand.

Something in Cersei had changed, if only for a minute, she felt bold, "You do not know a mother's agony." She started, daring to look Lord Tywin in the eyes, "The agony of leaving her child, is it not the mother's job to protect her children with all her might, there is a bond between mother and child that no Gods, old or new, can break." She finished and took another gulp of her wine, Tywin stood there, unmoving, his stern face giving nothing away,

"So be it." He said, "If it is your desire to mope over your bastard then you can bear the consequences." He strode off leaving Cersei to dwell on her thoughts and fill herself with wine.

* * *

><p>"Lord Tywin, we brought the girl you asked for." Said a sweaty dirt faced soldier, Tywin's cold eyes glared up from his parchment.<p>

"Show her to me."

They made their way across the courtyard and to the entrance of the King's Gate, before Lord Tywin was a cart full of Tavern wenches and whores alike, but there was one girl who stood out from them all.

"She's the one, My Lord."

Tywin Lannister looked at the girl, lifting up her rags to step over a puddle of mud and shit, "Yes." He said dryly, then his tone grew darker, "Yes she is."


	4. Chapter 4

Oriane felt dread festering in her stomach as she was escorted up to the tower of the hand_, I've barely set foot in King's Landing and already I've gotten myself in to trouble_, she thought, she felt intimidated by the gold cloaks and their steely nature,

"Lord Tywin, we brought the girl you asked for." _Lord Tywin…asked for me? _Oriane reeled, what would Tywin Lannister want with a tavern wench like her?

"Come, girl." He said, once the gold cloaks had taken their leave, his tone did nothing to ease Oriane's twirling stomach,

"Do you have any idea, as to why you have been summoned to my chambers?" Tywin studied the girl, it soon became clear that she didn't have even the slightest clue as to who she really was,

Oriane dared to look Tywin in the eyes, "No, My Lord." It was true, she had a feeling that Tywin had something to do with her abrupt arrival at King's Landing, no, looking at him, recalling her circumstances, she _knew _it.

Tywin observed the girl, from her green eyes to her easy-going attitude, _as arrogant as her father. _It was Tywin's first thought, Oriane grew nervous at the ongoing silence…._ She is a bastard with no lands or titles to speak of…..the Lannister name cannot withstand more scandal…..I am doing this for the good of House Lannister._

But then she smiled right at Tywin, and it hit him like a thousand arrows,

_Joanna's smile._

For a moment, Oriane was confused, "Is..is something wrong My Lord?"

Tywin pondered at his desk, he brought her to King's Landing so he could see this girl in the flesh, the living proof of his daughter's childish stupidity…..it was true, the young girl sitting in front of him was the very image of Cersei in her youth, but her smile….she had Joanna's smile, and for that reason, he wouldn't just behead the girl and have done with it.

"Have you been in the service of a highborn?" He asked,

"No, My Lord, all my years I have spent as a tavern wench." Tywin internally _tsked_, _bastard or not, no blood of mine shall work in a tavern._

"Be that as it may…..come with me, girl."

Oriane asked no questions, only followed Lord Tywin and his guards, _I knew it, _she worried, _it is here I will meet my death, as Lord Stark did. _How certain she that those were her last footsteps on this mortal coil. But no, instead, she came face to face with wooden door, and when Tywin opened it, she couldn't believe who she was seeing.

She was a little younger than she was, Oriane had never felt so embarrassed, there she sat, radiating elegance, like a noblewoman from the stories, with her rich dresses covered in embroidery, and there she stood, in her rags, feeling like she just crawled through Moat Cailin stood next to the beautiful girl.

_Actually, she looks a bit like me…._Oriane thought briefly, but thought nothing of it….

"Leave us." Tywin ordered, and like that, the guards left.

The princess got up and Curtsied, "Princess Myrcella, this is Oriane, your new handmaiden."


	5. Chapter 5

"Umm…forgive me, My Lady, had I known of this I..I would have dressed in more suitable attire."

Myrcella gave that soft giggle, a princesses giggle, "It's quite alright, Oriane." She said, "Where is it you are from?"

"I have no great tale to tell, my princess." Oriane told it true, "I never saw my mother's face, I have spent my years in a tavern in Ashemark." The princess didn't seem put off by that, she absentmindedly brushed through her hair and smiled at her, _I like this girl already…_Oriane smiled back.

Cersei hadn't left her chambers all morning, today, even the smallest of tasks seemed unbearable, so she simply did what she always did, she drank, she drank until it felt like all of her troubles were far across the Narrow Sea.

"Your Grace, Lord Varys to see you." Cersei was sure her scowl could be heard from the other side of the door, but Varys came in with that all knowing smile all the same, Cersei hated the way he would constantly wear that slimy smile, like he was in on some big secret that you weren't, well…he was, he always was.

"You do look most exquisite today, Your Grace." He smiled, "I should imagine that preparations for the King's name day are in order?"

"Of course." A knowing silence loomed over the room, both knew that Varys didn't come all this way to discuss jousts and melees and archery.

"My Lord, Is there anything of importance you wish to speak to me about?" Cersei asked, and Varys replied,

"No no, Your Grace, I came only to ponder about the upcoming festivities." As he slinked towards to door, he added on slyly….. "It should be joyous occasion, seeing that bastard of yours after so long."

Cersei almost spat her wine out, "I beg pardon, My Lord."

Varys' all knowing smile was back, "Why, the girl who was escorted to Lord Tywin's chamber this morning. My little birds tell me she's a pretty little thing, she's said to look the very picture of her Queen mother."

"Does Joff know? Do any of them know?" Then Cersei thought again, "Does she know?"

"All are non-the-wiser, Your Grace." Varys admitted, staring at the intricate design of Cersei's wine goblet.

"Tell me true Varys…" Varys had never seen Cersei look as exceedingly desperate as she did in that moment, "Is it she? Have the Gods returned her to me?"

Varys gave only a nod, and Cersei was storming up to the Tower of the Hand.

_The Others take you, Tywin Lannister, _Cersei cursed, _how dare that son of a whore conceal my daughter, did he think I wouldn't find out? _In her internal rage, Cersei had barely registered the Princess walking with haste along the hall,

"Mother, I'm so glad I found you, come with me, I would show you something." Cersei looked into Myrcella's Green eyes, _did Oriane look like Myrcella at that age? _She wondered, but she needn't guess no more, she let Myrcella take her to her chambers,

"Mother, this is my new handmaiden." Myrcella beamed,

"Sweetling, you don't need a new-" The Lannister golden hair was what stopped Cersei mid-sentence first, but then the maid turned round, and it was as if Cersei was looking at her own youthful reflection.

"This is Oriane, I think she was a gift from Grandfather." Myrcella sounded unsure…but stood next to a frozen still Cersei,

"Your Grace." Oriane curtsied, not the most elegant, "Forgive me, I've had ill need of the curtsy before now." She smiled at a watery Cersei, "Is…is something wrong, Your Grace?" her smile dropped into concern.

"Myrcella, go find your brother." Myrcella presumed she meant Tommen and skipped off, Oriane waved goodbye to the princess,

"If I've given offence, Your Grace-" Oriane began, but was silenced by Cersei's thumb grazing her chin, she looked at the smiling queen and felt slightly perplexed.

Cersei was too stunned, too relieved, and too happy to remember her stiff courtesies, "No… you look…you look beautiful."

Oriane blushed, she'd never been complemented by a highborn before, "Thank you, Your Grace." She smiled bashfully.

"Will you walk with me, child?" Cersei asked, Oriane couldn't say no to the queen. Cersei held on to Oriane all the way to her chambers, remembering the day she birthed her, and held her, that one time. _My girl has returned to me at last, by all the Gods, today I have seen mercy with my own eyes, and felt it with my own heart._


End file.
